Of the Round
by RichelleBrinkley
Summary: In a group of three girls and three boys, Nick supposes that a web of interlap is most likely inevitable when it comes to crushes and secret feelings between them.


**Title: **Of the Round

**Author: **RichelleBrinkley

**Word Count: **1,538

**Rating:** T (for like, one bad word)

**AN: **In a bizarre turn of events, I have not taken fifty-two million years to come out with another story for this fandom. This is my first time writing from all the gang's POV, so please forgive me for any OOC-ness.

As usual, the gang are around 16-17 in this story.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Raven Hill Mysteries/Teen Power Inc., it belongs to Emily Rodda.

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If Nick were to speculate possible pairings inside their friendship group of _Teen Power Inc._, the first and most immediate to come to mind would be himself and Richelle Brinkley.

Not only are they obviously both compatible, what with their similarly good looks and interests in being (extremely) wealthy—but of all his friends, Nick finds that Richelle is the only one of whom he can speak with for longer than ten minutes without them getting thoroughly annoyed at him (Elmo cracks it after eight-and-a-half, and Tom's record is a measly twenty-six seconds).

Richelle, however, being his best friend, is always happy to sit down with him and sip a hot chocolate whilst he rambles on about his latest computer game, or money-making scheme. And he in turn doesn't mind listening to her complaints about Tiffany and Jason, or the loose threads on her newly-bought sweater.

He kisses Richelle often. Just a soft peck on the cheek, innocent to all but their friends, who roll their eyes at him and make faces behind Richelle's back. They know Nick likes Richelle. Come to think of it, Richelle probably knows it too.

When it all boils down to compatibility, Nick wagers that he and Richelle have pretty much got it down pat.

He wonders if she sees it that way too.

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Sunny Chan's best friend is Liz Free, although she has to admit that Tom Moysten comes a close second.

Boys interest her about as much as Brian's history lectures do, but there is something about Tom's crooked smile and easy-going ways that invokes within her a certain fondness towards him. She'd much rather be practising tae kwon do, but if Sunny had to take her pick of the boys—well, Tom Moysten would be it.

She'd like to think that being his best friend, she'd be his pick of the group too.

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He's never plucked up the courage to ask a girl out before. Honestly, he's never found the right girl to ask.

Liz Free, however, may be Elmo Zimmer's first exception.

Whilst Richelle is vague and insipid, Sunny intimidating and disinterested, Liz is just the opposite of all those things. Liz never pokes fun at the _Pen_, or at his clothes (_or_ hair, _or_ freckles, _or_ cat). Liz always makes time to talk to him when the others are too busy doing whatever they're doing.

And, whilst certainly not the most important point—but Elmo feels the need to mention it all the same—Liz is genuinely, hearteningly _pretty_. She has soft brown hair and warm brown eyes and she may be no Richelle, but Elmo will take caring smiles and brunette locks to bored stares and bleached-blonde waves any day.

Liz likes reading. She reads the _Pen_ from front to back every week, and she isn't afraid to tell Elmo her thoughts on his segments. He likes her criticisms, observant and constructive. Although when the occasion comes and she compliments him, Elmo blushes like nothing else.

But above all else, Liz is just _special_. She is the sort of person that can make anyone feel welcomed and at home, the sort of person that inspires others to be better, try harder, leap higher. She is caring and honest, and the most genuine, sincere person Elmo has ever met.

Safe to say, he has a bit of a crush on Liz Free.

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She supposes it comes with being boringly average, but Liz Free has never had much success with boys.

She liked Tom once; his goofy, inadvertant charm ensnaring her like she thinks it may have with Sunny most recently. She doesn't know if Tom ever liked her back, but being _boring old Liz_, she wouldn't bet on it. Tom probably likes Sunny, anyway.

So it is with a heavy heart she distances herself from him, spending her time instead with quiet, kind Elmo. Surprisingly, she enjoys their afternoons together at the _Pen_ a lot more than she would have thought, and before long, she finds herself immersed in dusty tomes and newsprint more than several times a week. It is always busy at the _Pen_, and Liz likes that. She also likes helping Elmo research and keeping him company.

Sometimes, she catches him looking at her—he is always quick to turn away, shuffling his papers, but it makes Liz smile. Elmo Zimmer is quite profound; she admires his hard work and relentless dedication to his father's newspaper, the endless hours he puts in not because he has to, but because he _wants_ to.

Nick and Richelle may not think much of him, but honestly, of all the gang, Liz thinks that Elmo Zimmer might be the most exceptional.

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Tom Moysten isn't anyone's best friend. Sure, he is close friends with Sunny, but Liz gets the official 'best friend' title in her books.

Richelle has Nick, who not only doubles as her best friend, but her admirer too. Tom would laugh at Nick's obvious crush on Richelle, his drawling denials and snappy retorts whenever anyone dares to broach the subject—well, he would if he too wasn't entranced by the damned blonde.

Sunny has never shown much interest in boys, preferring martial arts and yoga to occupy her time. He used to have a bit of a crush on Sunny somewhat, some time ago; certainly, he still admires her drive and finesse. But Sunny is his closest friend, and Tom doesn't ever want to lose that. So he decided to turn his affections elsewhere.

Unfortunately, Richelle happened to be right behind him, metaphorically speaking, at this particular turn.

Tom cannot for the life of him understand why he would come to like such a vain, totally different person to him. But there is something about Richelle, and it is not a subtle quality by far; she hits you like a freight train, all blonde hair and blue eyes, long legs and dazzling smile.

She leaves Tom winded, shell-shocked and completely, utterly screwed.

He has felt helpless many a number of times, what with their seemingly unavoidable string of adventures. But never—never has he felt it quite like this.

To complicate things, and though he is grudging to admit it, Richelle is out of his league. There is something about her that makes her different to everybody else, bigger and more beautiful, certainly too much so for the small town that is Raven Hill. A tall flower in a garden of weeds, she sticks out like a gleaming, first place rosette stuck on a packet of fish and chips.

Tom doesn't think he'll ever have a chance.

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Richelle Brinkley is quite proud to admit that she has had her fair share of boyfriends and admirers. Not unpopular by far, Richelle likes to think that she is envied by many; after all, she is beautiful and confident and well-liked by her peers. She wears the latest fashions, has almost no freckles, and teachers let her off easily where they would usually give others detention (namely, Tom).

Suffice to say, Richelle has life pretty good.

If there was anything she could choose to nit-pick on, however, Tom Moysten's presence would be it.

She doesn't know why, but whenever Tom is around, the air seems thicker and the room suddenly warmer. The rare occasions his smile is directed towards her makes the blood rush to Richelle's cheeks, and her heart rate pick up ever so slightly. Instead of feeling confident, Richelle feels like a shy little girl, stripped of all her makeup and jewellery and everything she adorns herself with to look "pretty". It is like Tom sees right through all of it, to the fragile self underneath that Richelle tries so hard to hide behind beauty and disdain.

No one else, not even Nick, with his handsome looks and smooth charm can make her feel quite this bare.

Tom Moysten, Richelle decides, really is something else.

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In a group of three girls and three boys, Nick supposes that a web of interlap is most likely inevitable when it comes to crushes and secret feelings between them.

Walking into the Glen, he allows himself a small smile upon seeing the lot of them, sprawled in various positions on the yellowed grass or against the trunks of trees.

Tom sticks his tongue out at him, and Nick sneers back before taking his place beside Richelle at the base of the old gum tree. From the corner of his eye, he notes Elmo and Liz sitting together with their heads bent together over some article in the _Pen_, Elmo's gaze straying upwards momentarily to fix upon Liz's creased brow with a fond smile.

A few metres off, Sunny hangs upside-down from a low-hanging branch, chattering to Tom who sits underneath her against the base of the tree. As he watches, Tom's eyes flicker towards him and Richelle for a second, and Nick is smug to note the hint of jealousy in Tom's eyes.

Richelle taps him on the arm. "Nick, lean back a bit," she complains, her lips forming their familiar and far-too-appealing pout. "You're blocking my sun."

Nick laughs and kisses her on the cheek before obliging.

"Sorry, Richelle," he says as he settles further back against the tree trunk. "I was just thinking."

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><p><strong>AN: A more appropriate name for this story would be '<em>In which everybody likes Tom'<em>. ****Seriously, though. I actually drew up a chart whilst writing this.**

**Reviews are most graciously appreciated. Believe me when I say they really do inspire me to keep writing.**

**I don't know what I'm writing next for this fandom, but keep an eye out, because I'm not going anywhere.**

**As always, thank-you for reading.**

**Much love,**

**RichelleBrinkley xx**


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